To all those people who were talking big about Porter only to see him fall to 55, here is some validation: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/bk/bkn/614966 Warriors' Porter pleasant surprise 55th pick impresses in summer league By BUD GERACIE Copyright 2000 Knight Ridder Newspapers With the 55th pick in the NBA draft, the Warriors thought maybe they had a player who could help them. Now, after watching Chris Porter play in the LA Summer Pro League, their thinking has changed. "Can you believe this guy almost went undrafted?" said assistant general manager Gary Fitzsimmons, echoing the popular sentiment among Warriors players and coaches. "He can jump with anybody," raved Antawn Jamison. "And his intensity, night in and night out, every play ... I really think he's going to help us a lot." The Warriors, as you might be aware, need help a lot. Porter, a 6-foot-7 forward from Auburn, isn't going to be a star next season or, probably, any other season. But he could become a fan favorite, especially if his high-energy style of play helps the Warriors end a six-year absence from the playoffs, the longest-running streak in the league outside of Dallas. In five games in Long Beach, Porter averaged 13.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 27.4 minutes. Don't make too much of the numbers; the Warriors don't -- and shouldn't -- given that NFL star Randy Moss posted a similar scoring average in a brief fling against the level of competition in this league. Still, it's unlikely that Moss has the court sense, defense, relentless energy -- the intangibles -- that Porter put on regular display before missing the final two games because of a thigh bruise. The injury alone makes Porter a fit for the Warriors, a team that lost 329 man-games to injury last season. "His energy and his knowledge of the game surprised me," said Phil Hubbard, a new member of coach Dave Cowens' staff. "He knows what to do with the basketball, and he knows what to do without it." "He knows how to play," concurred assistant coach Brian Winters, "and he's an extremely athletic guy who plays extremely hard." Considering the entire package, the comparisons range from Jerome Kersey and Tyrone Corbin to Bo Outlaw all the way up to Dennis Rodman. Porter's hair is one color, but there's enough on top for him to look about 6-10. The Warriors say he's a "legit 6-7," 218 pounds. They see him as "a forward" capable of being a defensive stopper against small forwards and power forwards. "He has an edge," Fitzsimmons said. "He wants to prove to people that a lot of players taken in front of him shouldn't have been. ... This is a kid who's going to find a way to play in the NBA, and help a team." It might as well be the Warriors. ------------------ Rockets Draft Obligations Summary http://www.gaffordstudios.cjb.net/